As a pilot, you’ve invested hundreds of hours of training and education to handle the demands of flight. Your resume must show hiring managers you can navigate all situations and conditions safely as you pilot their aircraft. In this guide, we’ll provide strategies to help you write a pilot resume that secures a spot in the cockpit and prepares your next career move for takeoff.
Using a premade resume template is the best way to establish a professional, well-structured document. Your pilot resume should include these sections:
At the top of your resume, list your current contact information, including your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your information is up-to-date and free of typos to clear the runway for further questions and interviews.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn
A pilot resume profile is a summary of your career that sets the trajectory for the rest of your document. It should include your years in the field, how many hours you’ve flown, and any aircraft or flight specializations that could set you apart from other pilots. Consider what the airline or organization is looking for, and describe what makes you the pilot they need to hire.
Airline transport pilot with over five years of experience, 3,500 flight hours, and an advanced degree in aerospace management. Experience as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and second officer flying an Airbus A320 for Spirit Airlines. Possesses a perfect safety record, including extensive experience in multi-engine operations and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Whether you’re a commercial or airline pilot, you rely on a vast array of skills to navigate whatever may come your way during a flight. A key skills list will demonstrate to potential employers that you have the necessary abilities to handle day-to-day operations. Include both technical and interpersonal skills that show you’re ready to take command and lead a crew.
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Aircraft navigation systems | Calm under pressure |
Aviation safety standards and procedures | Clear communication |
Crew resource management (CRM) | Critical thinking |
Emergency landing procedures | Decisiveness |
Flight planning | Leadership |
ForeFlight | Multitasking |
Instrument flight rules (IFR) | Observant |
Pre-flight basic systems inspection | Risk assessment |
Regulatory compliance | Stress management |
Visual flight rules (VFR) | Teamwork and collaboration |
To effectively communicate your past aviation duties and accomplishments, use action verbs in your professional experience section. Instead of using redundant first-person language like “I was responsible for,” start each bullet point with an action verb. These words will help hiring managers understand exactly what you did at work and how you actively participated in the role. Use action verbs like the ones listed below as you write your pilot resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Analyzed | Communicated |
Coordinated | Directed |
Executed | Flew |
Instructed | Navigated |
Operated | Piloted |
Planned | Reacted |
Supervised | Trained |
Validated |
This section is like the pilot logbook of your work history. List your most recent positions, along with six to eight bullet points covering key responsibilities and achievements. Describe moments in previous roles relevant to the pilot job you’re applying for, using numbers when you can to quantify your success.
Second Officer, Spirit Airlines, Miramar, FL
September 2020 – present
Certified Flight Instructor, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Hillsboro, OR
June 2018 – August 2020
Metrics offer clear, measurable indicators of your capabilities as a pilot and help to set you apart from other well-qualified candidates. To frame your past responsibilities as accomplishments, use numbers to quantify your experience. Include things like total flight hours, number of flights, improvements in safety and efficiency, or reductions in cost.
The job outlook for pilots is bright but competitive, with a projected increase of 4% over the next decade. To stand out from the competition, your pilot resume should be tailor-made for the job you’re interested in. Every resume you submit must be customized to meet the aviation needs of the organization.
Use the job posting as a guide to help you determine the skills, qualifications, and experience an airline or commercial company is looking for in a pilot. To show you meet the requirements of the role, match your abilities with those in the job ad and include them in your resume. This will increase your chances of making it through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and on to hiring managers.
Even without direct, paid experience, you’ve spent time developing technical skills during flight school. Display you have the fundamental knowledge necessary by emphasizing relevant coursework, school projects, certifications, flight ratings, and affiliations. Including volunteer work or internships within airports and aviation organizations also proves you have practical experience in the industry.
If you don’t have your 1,500 hours of flying time yet to land a job at a regional or major airline, consider earning time as a CFI. Many new pilots start as instructors and build up their flight logs this way. There are also other opportunities that have lower flight time requirements and could prove better options to earn your minimum flight time.
Your education is the foundation of your aviation abilities. Open the education section by listing the flight school you attended and when you completed your training. If you earned your wings through a degree program, start with your highest degree first. Include the name of the institution, dates of attendance, and any honors you may have received.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Professional Flight, 2013 – 2017
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Most piloting positions have minimum flight hour requirements and ratings for applicants. So, it’s essential to detail your time in the sky and include certificate ratings such as airplane instrument, multi-engine landing (AMEL), and airplane single-engine landing (ASEL). Listing your hours and FAA ratings on your resume will help hiring managers immediately capture your experience and abilities.
Certifications
Airline Transport Pilot: AMEL
Commercial Pilot: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Certified Flight Instructor: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Private Pilot: ASEL
FAA First Class Medical Certificate
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn
Airline transport pilot with over five years of experience, 3,500 flight hours, and an advanced degree in aerospace management. Experience as a CFI and second officer flying an Airbus A320 for Spirit Airlines. Possesses a perfect safety record, including extensive experience in multi-engine operations and IMC.
Total Flight Time: 3,500 hours
Airline Transport Pilot: AMEL
Commercial Pilot: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Certified Flight Instructor: ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument Airplane
Private Pilot: ASEL
FAA First Class Medical Certificate
Second Officer, Spirit Airlines, Miramar, FL
September 2020 – present
Certified Flight Instructor, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Hillsboro, OR
June 2018 – August 2020
Master of Science (M.S.) Aviation and Aerospace Management, September 2017 – May 2018
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Professional Flight, 2013 – 2017
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
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